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Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam Thursday in the Reds' 5-4 victory over the Pirates.

Suarez continues to maintain that awesome RBI pace; he's driven in 38 runs in 34 games for a team with an 18-33 record. It's just too bad no one below him is doing a very good job of driving him in; he's scored 18 runs, eight of which have come on his own homers.

Yankees reinstated Billy McKinney (shoulder) from the 10-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

McKinney had a short stint with the Yankees at the end of March, but he crashed into the outfield wall and sprained his left shoulder on March 30, and he has been on the disabled list since. He'll head to the International League now, and if he hits well -- and there's attrition in the outfield -- he could receive another call before the end of the 2018 season.

Luis Castillo pitched six innings of two-run ball for a win Thursday against the Pirates.

Castillo pitched five scoreless innings before giving up a two-run homer to David Freese in the sixth. It's the fifth straight start in which he's allowed one or two earned runs, and his ERA has dropped from 7.85 to 5.34 this month.

Amir Garrett couldn't finish off the Pirates on Thursday and was pulled after allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Garrett retired four straight after coming on with two outs in the seventh in a 5-2 game today, but the ninth started with an infield single, a strikeout and then a two-run homer, which lead to his removal. If Garrett had gotten Austin Meadows in the ninth, he most likely would have been left in to try for the 2 1/3-inning save. That it didn't materialize today doesn't mean he won't have more chances with Raisel Iglesias out.

Jared Hughes got a two-out save Thursday in a one-run game against the Pirates.

It looked like the Reds wanted Amir Garrett to finish out the game in Raisel Iglesias's absence, but he was pulled after a two-run homer in the ninth. Hughes, pitching for a third straight day, came into retire both batters he faced. He's a big part of the committee that will be filling in for Iglesias in the near future. However, because of his recent workload, it's doubtful that he'll be available on Friday.

Ivan Nova lost after allowing five runs -- four earned -- in 5 1/3 innings Thursday against the Reds.

Nova's own error led to the unearned run. He gave up two homers today, bringing his season total to 10 surrendered in 11 starts. He's allowed 25 runs -- 20 earned -- in 23 2/3 innings this month, taking his ERA from 3.32 to 4.96.

Jesse Winker finally hit his first homer and finished 2-for-4 against the Pirates on Thursday.

It was a solo shot off Ivan Nova in the fifth. Not much was expected from Winker in the power department when he came up last year, but he surprised with seven homers in 121 at-bats. This year, he had gone 140 at-bats without a homer to start the season. He still belongs in the lineup because of his on-base skills.

David Freese went 2-for-4 and hit his fourth homer of the year Thursday versus the Reds.

Freese's homer likely would have made a bigger difference in this one if not for his miscue earlier in the game, when he had a toss from Ivan Nova go off his glove at first base, loading the bases before Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam. The error went to Nova on the play, but it was a catch that Freese should have made. Freese is hitting a solid .260/.326/.466 in his part-time role this year.